i'm from monitor section, been reading up on IPS, LCD, colour reproduction, etc.~

buying around 2pm today but I need Plasma model recommendation & don't know anything about (need advise);
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1) only play 720p (compressed 4.5GB rips), normal 480p TV contents, and view still pics
2) plasma vs LCD
3) price
4) best for colour reproduction / picture quality
5) very good contrast (darker black)
6) does IPS or TN panels still relevant for TV (it matters for refresh rate and colour reproduction for monitors)?
7) ports for old DVD player and 5.1 sound system (old TV cables' pic attached; it says Y/Video, Video 1, 2, and Video 3/Component)
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budget is RM5,000 and 40" - 60" depending on factors above~ I'll most probably be buying a 1366 x 768 or a 16:10 as resolution don't need to be 1080~

for Christmas, I'm buying mum a TV, I really want my mum to have the best as she's very bored at home and I can't be with her all the time~

Player:
I'll read up and research HD player tonight~ for the TV, I hope some good soul will help me with this, thanks~

This post has been edited by sexualpower: Dec 25 2010, 11:33 AM


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1) All TV's are 16:9. I don't think there's any 16:10 TVs.
2) For RM 5k, why do you want to buy 1366 x 768 resolution!!! I bet all TVs at that price is FULL HD. Believe me you'll want 1080p and regret if you get a 1365x768 resolution...
3) Just buy the latest Sharp Quattron LED with the biggest size that RM5K can go...Maybe can get 50"...i am not too sure.
4) HD player, maybe ur TV has built in one oready for RM 5K. If not, buy a WDTV Live if you don't watch RMVB, if watch RMVB buy Acryan Playon HD or other Realtek based chipset player. Buy a branded one with good firmware support.

Merry Christmas!!!

LG Plasma 50' FULL HD tv... around RM4600 i think its ok

thanks so much for your help!~

2) my mum will NEVER watch Blu-Ray, thus, 1080 is definitely no use and I believe that having good native resolution is important, if have 1280 x 720 I'll buy I think~ I've read from sources that 720p and 1080p not much difference, I hope sifu can clear this out for me, coz downloading 1080p movies really take a long time~
3) LED vs Plasma, will the LED win in contrast (darker black) and colour reproduction?~ thanks for your advise, I go research on Sharp Quattron now~
4) oh ic, didn't know got TV with built in player!~ I know WDTV but expensive, got the materials, will go straight to research after buying the TV~ RMVB still exist?~ haha, i never watch those, never go back since I got HD monitor~

thanks so much!~

At RM5K budget, I don't think there is any 720p LCD in the market, all are 1080; maybe some older Plasma are 720 but really at that price, go for FullHD. Plasma is more gentle on the eyes for long period of viewing but best is let your eyes be the judge and better still, let your mum's eyes be the judge. You may want to check my HDTV Blog as a very rough guide.
BTW, when I first have my HDTV, I was also thinking that I will not watch BD movies but after watching a few, I am now a BD convert!

This post has been edited by ronaldkwok: Dec 25 2010, 07:39 AM

1) Don't say never...after your mom watch some BD disc...maybe she don't wanna watch DVD anymore....Your mom will scold you for not introducing her to BD earlier!!! LOL. btw, native resolution are NOT that important....this is movies, not gaming. Gaming in non-native resolution will make the screen blur, but not movies. i know you have prowl in PC forums too long...those theories not applicable for movies, only gaming, ok? Go for FULLHD, you'll regret if you don't. Bluray disc player are very cheap RM399 can get...some Sharp model also comes with built in BD player.

2) WDTV Live very cheap nia....RM299 only. If you don't need RMVB , i recommend WDTV Live. I would personally prefer external HD media player than those built inside TVs coz got better file format support and frequent firmware updates to keep track of latest file format change...and other goodies like online services...etc Youtube, Facebook...

This post has been edited by Matrix: Dec 25 2010, 07:56 AM

yes, done reading the HDTV blog, helps so much, only don't understand what is "RCA connection"~ thanks, it'll b plasma then, so that my mum's eyes can be more relaxed~

i'm worried about the upscaling or extrapolation from 720p & 480p to 1080~ like what u've mentioned, I don't know about TVs and we're quite sure of not getting Blu-Ray coz it costs RM30 - RM80 per disc, which is ridiculous~ unless BD is about RM20, then fine, I'll get 1080 right away~

watching 720p using a full HD, will there be any problems due to upscaling / extrapolation to 1080 (since the TV can only show 1080)?~

RCA connectors are those commonly used before the HDMI era. The composite one (yellow for video, red/white for audio) or the component ones (red, blue and green for video) that you use to connect the DVD to the TV. The component output will give a better picture, especially on HDTV; best is of course is HDMI.
There is no problem on the upscaling from 720 materials to show on 1080 TV since it is already HD. As for SD material (480p) some may look a bit worse but some may look a bit better, depends on the upscaling engine but of course don't expect HD quality.
Actually if you look at the price of BD, it is falling and approaching those of DVD; for some titles on offer, it may be even cheaper than DVD! BD is the way to go. Some DVD also look pretty good on HDTV, especially those remastered titles and if you are not too fussy.

This post has been edited by ronaldkwok: Dec 25 2010, 08:17 AM

a) Ahem...ahem...cough hack BD....(sshhhhhh)....or you can share ur collection of 1080p moviesmovie trailers with friends....you can find a lot of "friends" here who probably willing to share with you for a nice "exchange"..
b) No problem at all. I have many 720p movies i watch on my FullHD 40" LCD. Doesn't have as many details as 1080p, but sure won't blur like running a 1024 x 768 on a 1680 x 1050 LCD monitor. Believe me, i game on PC and XBOX as well.

RCA mean things like composite cable, you know that yellow, red, white connector type you see on most CRT TV. That kinda head connector is called RCA.

This post has been edited by Matrix: Dec 25 2010, 08:24 AM

oh ic, then RCA is very important coz got 2 old DVD players at home & 1 VHS!~ just noticed that the HDTV blog is yours!~ thanks a bunch ^5~

for upscaling, I'll ask the people to try NTV7 then, haha~ most of the time, mum will be watching TV only actually~

whoaaa!!~ really?~ i didn't know that BD's price is dropping so fast but checked earlier and it's RM30 - RM60, mum said "crazy", lol~

In that case, better subscribe to Astro Byond, it is the next best thing to BD. Otherwise, no point getting a HDTV other than the bigger screen. Just my view.

This post has been edited by ronaldkwok: Dec 25 2010, 08:38 AM

Plasma suffer burn-ins easily compared to LCD so ensure your mum don't leave the TV with static image (channel logo) for more than 10 mins or watch programs in 4:3 with thick black side bars.

If possible, set screen saver on HD player, DVD player and TV to ON.

haha!~ never thought of sharing but that's great!~ i like trailers!~ actually i dl trailers from hd-trailers.net everyday and that was where my first HD contents came from~

upscaling no problem then it's 1080 Full HD!~

wahlau, another cost for me~ but good suggestion as well wor!~ so now can match with good source~

yeah, read about the burn-ins, thanks a lot for the advise on screen saver!~ great suggestion~

thanks guys, really helped me a lot, need 1 last thing, anyone can suggest best model for a will be buying the monitor and showing u guys the pics~ hopefully mum is satisfied, so is dad, otherwise, my money

This post has been edited by sexualpower: Dec 25 2010, 11:38 AM

I suppose your mum is over 50 years old. If yes, older people's eyes are more sensitive to lights and Plasma would be the most gentle on eyes with LED the harshest.

Tell you what....take your mum down to the showroom but note this:

1. Showroom are all very brightly lighted so they are more suited to display brightly lighted LED. And shows Plasma in worst possible light. But at home, the situation is often reversed. If there are no bright window in house, Plasma would be at their best and beats LCD hands down and on-par with LED

2. Get your mum to stayed locked onto a Plasma for 10 minutes. Then immediately get her to watch an LED. 8 out of 10 older people will say.....wow...too bright lah....eyes can not tahan.

BTW, Plasma's 2 main disadvantages will be:
1. Having glass as screen, they can be very reflective. LCD no such problem. But some LED deliberately add glass to their screen so just as reflective as Plasma.
2. About twice the power consumption of LCD/LED so runs hotter so need better ventilation.

Bottom line: You MUST bring your mum to check both out.

For 5k, just get any that suite the money but remember get 1080P.

If using old type of antenna for TV channel (not Astro B.yond), the image won't be as clear as you seen in CRT, but the output is same nor matter your TV is 720P(HD ready) or 1080P(Full HD).

But they is a different when playback HD content (maybe not now but in future).

My suggestion:

Get 720P(HD ready) / better 1080P(True HD) for TV size 32inch and below.

Get 1080P(True HD) for TV size 40inch and above.


With your budget of 5K, they is no point and wrong decision choosing a 720P TV only.

This post has been edited by Andrewtst: Dec 25 2010, 12:18 PM

Ha ha ha...after getting the 50" and a WDTV Live, you mum will not want to watch any TV3, 4, 5 or 6 or NTV7!
Semua series english or Hong Kong (just showing) also can be share and in 720p resolution also!

This post has been edited by DarkNite: Dec 25 2010, 12:36 PM

confirmed getting Plasma 50" - 60"~

need help with:
1) model
2) player for .mkv, Blu-Ray

media player budget?

out of time, buying in 1h, please recommend Plasma model, RM5k budget, 50" - 60", SOS, please help, thanks guys!~

media player RM500 budget~

panasonic v20